The present invention relates to percussion type musical instruments and, more particularly, to instruments for producing a slapping sound.
Instruments for use in producing a slapping sound are used both professionally and as toys. Typical examples well known in the art are shown as FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. For example, in FIG. 1, the instrument 10 comprises a pair of slats 12 held in parallel spaced relationship by a handle 14 as shown in the ghosted position. By gripping the handle 14 and rotating the instrument 10 back and forth as indicated by the arrow 16, as for example against the side of a hand 18, a slapping sound can be created. Each time the instrument 10 is struck against the hand 18, a single slap is produced. The frequency or pattern of the slapping sounds is very varied by varying the rate or time of rotation.
In yet another example as shown in FIG. 2, the instrument 20 comprises a pair of resiliently flexible slates 22 disposed on either side of a rigid slat 24 by handle 26. As the instrument 20 is rotated as indicated by the arrow 28 the resiliently flexible slats are alternately rotated away from the rigid slat 24 as indicated by the arrows 30 to the ghosted position and thereafter return to slap against the rigid slat 24. The slapping sound produced by the instrument 20 is a regular sound of a fixed frequency determined by the rate of rotation alternations.
A well-known so-called "noisemaker" instrument used commonly at parties, Halloween, New Year's celebrations, and the like is shown in FIG. 3. The noisemaker 32 comprises a metal pan 34 attached to a handle 36. A pair of elongated spring steel wires 38 are connected to the handle on one end and have wooden balls 40 attached to the opposite end on either side of the bottom of the pan 34. As the metal pan is shaken in an alternating rotation motion as indicated by the arrow 42, the wooden balls flex the wires 38 to the ghosted positions and return to strike the metal pan 34 to create a loud clanging sound. As with the instrument 20 of FIG. 2, however, the noisemaker 32 creates a regular sound of varying frequency depending upon the rate at which the instrument is shaken by the handle 36.
Often times, particularly in percussion accompaniment to musical selections, it is desirous to produce an asynchronous sound. To attempt to use an instrument such as that of FIG. 1 with any regularity or complicated nature to the sound is difficult to virtually impossible. Wherefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide a musical instrument producing slapping sounds of an asynchronous nature which have the potential for being relatively complex but repeatable in a manner which is easily accomplished over a long duration.